Amblyglyphidodon flavilatus
Small yellow-flanked damselfish common on Red Sea reefs from South Sinai to Aqaba, in water around 25-29°C year-round.
A small, deep-bodied damselfish around 7cm, with a pale blue-grey to silvery front half and a sharp yellow patch covering the rear flank and tail. The contrast between the two zones is the main giveaway, along with a faint dark spot near the upper gill area on some individuals. It sits low and close to the reef rather than schooling in open water.
Usually spotted hovering low over coral rubble or reef structure, holding a small patch of territory rather than ranging far. It tends to dart back toward cover when divers approach but doesn't disappear entirely, making repeat sightings on the same dive common. Most logs describe it as uncommon at a given site, so it's more a case of spotting one or two than seeing large groups.
Like most damselfish, it likely guards a patch of reef and will chase off intruders many times its own size, a disproportionate defensiveness that's fun to watch if you spot the interaction.
No clear season shows up in the sightings data, and with a comfortable range of roughly 25 to 29°C, it seems to sit on these reefs year-round rather than turning up seasonally.
Reef neighbours a diver could mistake it for. Use the identification notes above to tell them apart.
Most reliably logged across Egypt's Red Sea coast, especially the Red Sea Riviera and South Sinai, with further sightings around Marsa Alam and the Deep South. Jordan's Aqaba coastline also holds a steady population, making it the main non-Egyptian spot to find this species.
Mapping where Yellowflank Damselfish is logged…
Egypt's Red Sea coast is the stronghold, particularly the Red Sea Riviera, South Sinai and Marsa Alam. Jordan's Aqaba coast also holds a reliable population if you're diving the northern Red Sea.
There's no strong seasonal pattern in the data, and it tolerates a wide temperature band of roughly 25 to 29°C, so it's a fair year-round sighting on Red Sea reefs.
Look for a small, roughly 7cm damselfish with a pale grey-blue front half and a distinct yellow rear flank and tail. It stays close to reef structure rather than schooling in open water.
They stay small, topping out around 7cm, typical for reef damselfish in the genus Amblyglyphidodon.
No, they pose no threat to divers and are simply small, territorial reef fish that may dart at you if you get too close to their patch but won't cause harm.
Site and sighting data is aggregated from diver logs, iNaturalist and GBIF. For taxonomy and conservation status:
Yellowtail Clownfish
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